Audi’s electric A4 delayed until 2029 as Volkswagen’s software problems take their toll
Audi has to postpone the launch of its electric A4 e-tron until at least 2029. The reasons are delays in developing the Volkswagen Group’s new SSP platform and Audi’s own requirements for the car’s design. Meanwhile, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have brought mid-size electric saloons to market, leaving Audi trailing its rivals in the electric-car segment of one of its most important model ranges.
Electric A4 production will not begin until 2029
According to British publication Autocar, the Audi A4 e-tron was originally due to enter production in Ingolstadt in 2028. The company now plans to begin production in spring 2029 at the earliest. However, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner had already confirmed to the German press in September that the start of production would move to 2029. The latest information indicates that the development problems have not yet been fully resolved.
The A4 name disappeared from Audi’s range in 2024, when the manufacturer renamed the next-generation combustion-engined A4 as the A5. The electric A4 is expected to bring back the historic model name.
The newcomer is expected in both saloon and Avant estate forms.
Volkswagen’s SSP platform is already three years behind schedule
Audi’s biggest problem lies in the development of the Volkswagen Group’s Scalable Systems Platform, or SSP.
Volkswagen unveiled the 800-volt electric vehicle architecture in 2021. Under the plan, it was to gradually replace both the current MEB and PPE electric platforms and some combustion-engined vehicle architectures from 2026.
In reality, the programme is at least three years behind schedule.
One of the main reasons is the difficulty Volkswagen’s software division, Cariad, has faced in developing a common operating system and electronic architecture.
To resolve the problems, the group brought in American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, whose technology is being used to develop the electronics and software for future models.
The SSP delays also affect the next-generation electric Volkswagen Golf, the T-Roc and the successor to the Škoda Enyaq.
Audi’s own requirements complicate development
Not all the delays can be blamed on Volkswagen’s software, however.
Audi wants the electric A4 to retain the low seating position and cabin proportions characteristic of a traditional sports saloon.
To achieve this, engineers abandoned the usual completely flat electric vehicle floor and designed separate footwells for front and rear occupants.
The change requires the battery and other high-voltage components to be repositioned.
Audi also decided to use a 48-volt system instead of the conventional 12-volt on-board electrical system, allowing it to power computers and electronic devices with higher power requirements.
This change, in turn, required additional work on the electrical architecture.
Audi therefore faces a conflict: it wants to use as many shared group components as possible, while also demanding bespoke solutions for its model. These could improve driving characteristics and ease of use, but increase development costs and extend the timetable.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz gain a significant head start
The delay is particularly awkward for Audi because competition among mid-size electric luxury saloons is intensifying rapidly.
BMW’s new i3 uses the Neue Klasse architecture, an 800-volt electrical system and charging power of up to 400 kW. Mercedes-Benz is developing an electric C-Class for the same segment.
The Tesla Model 3 has been competing in this segment for years, and production volume, energy efficiency and pricing remain its competitive advantages.
Audi does offer the larger electric A6 e-tron, but it sits in a higher price bracket and is not a direct substitute for an A4-sized vehicle.
In the European market, a delay until 2029 means BMW and Mercedes can strengthen their positions while Audi is still preparing to produce a competing model.
Audi’s problem extends beyond a single model
The electric A4’s delay highlights a broader technological problem within the Volkswagen Group.
SSP was intended to reduce development costs, standardise the electronic architecture and allow the same components to be used in millions of vehicles.
The delays are forcing the group to use its existing MEB and PPE platforms for longer and increasing the cost of managing parallel technologies.
Meanwhile, Chinese carmakers are developing new models ever faster. For European manufacturers, what matters is therefore not only the capabilities of next-generation technology, but also bringing it to market on time.
The biggest problem for Audi’s electric A4 is not simply that production will begin a year later. During that time, rivals will have the opportunity to refine their technology, adjust their pricing and expand their customer bases.
In 2029, Audi must offer a car that competes not with today’s BMW and Mercedes models, but with the versions they will have developed by then.
